Art Pavilion in Videbæk

This small art pavilion sits like a white sculpture in green surroundings, beautifully reflected in the waters of the lake. The trees, the water and the elegant building create a sublime scene of mutually supportive elements.

Here, is this remote region where he grew up, the world-renowned architect Henning Larsen created a discreet masterpiece. It was a project which he managed to see through to completion before he died in summer 2013.

Videbæk is a small town between Herning and Ringkøbing in west Jutland. Several years ago, a number of local enthusiasts set their minds to raising the necessary funds to establish a flexible exhibition venue in the town park. The purpose would be a dynamic and vibrant place for contemporary art and local art rooted in west Jutland and also be suitable for talks and concerts. Henning Larsen became involved and after five years the art pavilion opened its doors on 1 June 2012.

Architect Mikkel Hune MAA from Henning Larsen Architects says, “The exhibition venue has been conceived as a light and airy garden pavilion with simple details and informality. The open and transparent façade envelops the exhibition space, the café and the terrace which floats above the surface of the water. The ceiling is like a square-shaped cover for both the interior and exterior spaces.”

Mikkel Hune continues: “Troldtekt was chosen as it is a ceiling material which can be used both indoors and out while solving acoustics issues in one fell swoop with a uniform, demountable surface. The art pavilion is run by volunteers on a modest budget and hence robust and maintenance-free solutions were therefore called for. Troldtekt also meets the requirement for a ceiling suitable for screw mounting where, for example, lighting can be installed and modified to suit changing requirements.”

A masterly artist returns home – Arne Haugen Sørensen Museum

In September 2017, a new 400-square-metre museum opened, a natural extension of the existing art pavilion. The new building is exclusively dedicated to the oeuvre of the Danish visual artist Arne Haugen Sørensen, who for many years has been living and working in Spain, where the light is much brighter than in Denmark. Now, 70 of his religious works have been brought to Videbæk in western Jutland, where they will be presented in a series of changing exhibitions.

Architecturally, the new museum mirrors the design of the original art pavilion, which was also designed by Henning Larsen Architects. The two pavilions form a single entity, which strengthens the contact to the surrounding park. The interior of the new building is characterised by the same simple materials as the first building – glazed concrete floors, wall elements cast in situ, and Troldtekt acoustic ceiling panels.